You Never Know When Your Life is About to Change

Here are some pictures I took recently of some art deco apartment buildings that were erected in the 30s, on a street called St. Clair Avenue West. At the time they were built they were Toronto’s very first luxury highrise apartments. They have stood the test of time and are still gorgeous.

This part of town would be considered up-town, being 4 kilometers north of my usual stomping grounds on Queen Street West, and I get up there since my doctor’s office is in the neighbourhood because I used to work nearby. She is so good that I’ve continued to see her, even though I have to take a streetcar and the subway. I’m fine with that since I love the area and always leave extra time to squeeze in a little walk.

So within a few blocks there are several of these beautiful old apartment buildings, but one of them holds much more significance to me than the others. I shall explain … On the evening of June 10, 1998 (yes, 14+ years ago, and I know the precise date because I’ve just found the entry in my old diary!), I was standing on this exact balcony, while attending a dinner party thrown by a friend, Darren. At the time, he was apartment-sitting/subletting the most famous apartment on this strip, that formerly owned by one of Canada’s most note-worthy (hehe, see what I did there?) pianists, the reclusive Glenn Gould. It was a breath-takingly gorgeous place that was memorable in itself, as were all the lovely people who were also at the party.

And no offense to the others but one particular guest was especially important to me that night, for she was bearing a message that would effect me for the rest of my life. This was my friend Alison, a co-worker I’d met during our first ‘big-girl’ jobs and who I saw every couple of months. Earlier that year I had introduced her to Darren at a little party I had had at my place. Ironically (and you’ll see why later), at that previous party, my date was a guy I’d been seeing on and off for the previous year. Suffice it to say that that had always been a rocky relationship.

Anyway, I introduced Alison to Darren, who later hosted us at his home, which was this fantastic apartment on St. Clair. And as we were sipping cocktails out on the balcony, Alison asked me if I was seeing anyone at the time. Being in the process of getting off that roller-coaster of a previous relationship, I answered that I was sort-of dating someone. She told me that she had recently become reacquainted with a friend from university, who she thought would be the perfect guy for me. But somehow I had misunderstood a significant detail about this potential date (such as that he had a job) so I didn’t pursue the meet-up.

And the reason that I will always love Alison is that she followed up on this. After leaving things for exactly 5 months and 6 days (again, precise dates due to the diary that I am now laughing over as I type), she called me at work one morning and said she really thought I should meet her friend. By then that former relationship was completely over, and I felt ready to say yes. But there was the little matter of my thinking that this fellow was unemployed, so when she clarified that no, he had a good job, I agreed to meet him. Please don’t think me shallow for being reluctant to go out with a man who didn’t have a job … I didn’t need big money, but given that the matter of employment, had been a major issue in my past relationship, I desired someone who could at least pay for himself.

So that same afternoon, I received an e-mail from Alison, copying in her buddy Nick, saying ‘Lou meet Nick. Nick meet Louise. My job here is done.’ The exact entry in my diary for that day, Monday November the 16th was “E-mail introduction to Alison’s friend named Nick. I look forward to meeting him.”

Little did I know that day that in 3 month’s time this Nick and I would be engaged. And a year later we would be married. And almost 13 years later I would be here telling you this story, after just having walked under the balcony where it had all begun.

And the funny thing is that Nick and I had worked on the same block for years but had never met. We had eaten lunch at the same restaurants and in fact both had the same favourite dish at one place and may well have stood in line next to one another waiting for our take-out order. We would inevitably have crossed paths dozens of times, but we never met.

Sometimes it takes divine intervention from a friend. You never know when your life is about to change forever. The love of your life might be just around the corner.

Here are some more buildings along this strip. The boxy one is cool but not as old as the art deco ones.

Thanks for visiting. Wishing you a marvelous Monday! If you would, I’d love to hear your ‘meeting story’ left as a comment or a link if you’ve told it on your blog.
xo loulou

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What a wonderful story, our friends really do know us best!
I was single, it was my friend, Liz’s 25th birthday and she told me that her boyfriend’s mate had offered to drive us to a nightclub in Birmingham and that he was the man for me. I knew him (everyone in town did, he was a successful rock musician, had been on TV, had gold albums and had toured the world) but told her that being blond he wasn’t my type. Needless to say Liz and her man have gone their separate ways but 20 years later Jon and I are still together (and that blond hair’s long gone!) x

What a truly magical story of meeting Nick. Definitely one to tell for years to come. It’s really amazing how different circumstances in life are orchestrated so perfectly to draw us to that one person. My hubs and I were kind of the same way – only I was engaged to one of his friends when we met and proceeded to fall in love…it’s a very long story :)

Very cool apartments! I always wished to live in ones like these. xo Marisa

I have a big, goofy girl-who-just-heard-a-love-story smile on my face right now.
Good thing your friend was so awesome because you certainly weren’t finding each other. lol I didn’t realize that you dated for such a short time. Sometimes you just know :)

Oh I love your story! My friends introduced Chris and me on a blind date. At the time, I did not think much of him. This was in the early days of pants hanging low on the hips and I thought he looked silly with his saggy butt pants. But, I kept running into him and talking with him and laughing with him. Then one night a big group of us were at a restaurant that used to be here in Atlanta, called The Rib Ranch (fancy, I know.) We sat next to each other and he shared his food with me and it was like we were in our own little world. I went to the restroom and when I looked at myself in the mirror, I had a bold epiphany – HE’S THE ONE! I knew without question I was going to marry him. (And I hadn’t even kissed him yet!) We got married a year later and have been together for 17 years!
Don’t you love love?

I take a lot of pictures around the city.

All photographs are my own, unless stated. In most cases, others are welcome to use them but only with credit, including a link to my site when published anywhere online. Please contact me if you would like high resolution versions.